Shawnee County prosecutors have decided to drop a rape charge against Joel Russell, 46, who was identified earlier this year by DNA evidence as a suspect in a 1985 Topeka kidnapping and rape for which another man was wrongfully convicted.

Editor’s note: The victim in the wrongful conviction case of Joe Jones has been in contact with the Journal-World since October. She has expressed gratitude for the articles about the case, and their role in reopening the case, leading to a DNA profile match. However, the woman has expressed frustration, at times, with the coverage and a lack of information from her point of view. While the woman declined a Journal-World interview request, she provided this letter.